A Rainy Day in Dublin
by VictoriaBeauPre
Summary: Kathy is visiting Dublin from the states when she stumbles upon Barrons Books and Baubles where she gets trapped in the Fae world. This takes place near the end of Faefever. I will post if there is a spoiler alert in chapters to come.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE FEVER STORIES. The only character in this story I made is Kathy Vickers, everything else is from Karen Marie Monings FEVER Series. I hope you enjoy it. There will be more to come soon so keep checking back.

Kathys POV

I stumbled through the streets, drunk. I had only been in Dublin three days. It was originally an attempt to escape from what had been going on in my home town back in Colorado in the States. I hadn't intended to drink so much while in the strange, alien city.

My foot hit the edge of the sidewalk, my vision so blurred I couldn't see it, and I fell in the middle of the street, scraping my hands and knees. I bit out a curse. The little black dress I had put on had been a bad idea. The sun had set an hour ago and a foreboding had hit me. Now I was wondering down who knew what street, trying to find my hotel.

A building down the street caught my eye. It was lit up brighter then a Christmas tree on the Vegas strip.

I slowly managed to rise to my feet, and started towards the building. Maybe someone there could help me. The Temple Bar district was too far for me to get back to now in my drunken stupor. Reaching the door I whimpered in despair. The sign on the door blared out CLOSED and the inner lights were dimmed to the usual after hour tone. With a sigh I turned to my right to head down the street a little further. After a few steps I paused, wavering on my feet. I realized as I stared why this building had seemed like such a light at the end of the road. Everything starting three feet in front of me, just outside the aura like glow of the building I was still just inside, was black. For as far as my blurry vision could see, was abandoned and dark. I nearly fell back when it seemed like the night before me shuddered. It was indescribable any other way. The feeling of death shivered up my spine as a sheet of paper blew through the silent street.

Swallowing, I turned back to the store beside me. The sign hanging perpendicular to the building by a brass pole read a welcoming _Barrons Books and Babbles_. Books. That was something I could feel safe by. Deciding to stay in the safety of the bright, warm florescent lights, and the little cover that would keep me mostly dry from the rain I could smell approaching the earth, I stepped into the recess that protected the beautiful door. Just as I sat down, the rain splashed on the ground and I smiled as I fell asleep.

Maks POV

I was standing next to my window in my room with my little pink Ipod turned up on a cheerful song when I saw her. A woman wearing a little black halter top dress that reached her knees. I was surprised she wasn't cold, but by the way she was stumbling I assumed she had come from Temple Bar. She stopped right in front of a large shade that was stretching itself out on the edge of the light in front of her, and if I had to give it a characteristic, I would say it was begging for her to take the three steps forward so she could sate its hunger.

I willed her to turn around, to go back down the street to Temple Bar. She continued to stand there, as if she was looking at something. Was she a _sidhe-_seer? The only others of my kind I knew of worked for Rowena. Finally the girl turned and walked away. Breathing a sigh of relief I crawled into bed, my worries for the night tamed. At least for the most part. There was still a lot of things going on in my world.

I woke up at seven the next morning. I was still thinking about the woman I had seen last night. It had been strange to see her actually regard the dark zone like it was some different part of the city, rather then like it didn't even exist. I got ready, threw on some make-up just to make myself feel better and went downstairs to open Barrons Books and Baubles. It was colder this morning, so I turned on the fireplace, then went to the door to open shop.

That's when I saw her. The girl from last night that had been on the verge of death-by-shade had curled up in front of my door and fallen asleep. She looked frozen. Unlocking the bolts, I opened the door and caught her before she fell. Barrons wouldn't be happy, but I didn't care. I wasn't going to leave her outside on my doorstep. Not when there was a chance she was a _sidhe-_seer.

I picked the girl up. She didn't weigh much more then me but it was still a chore. I set her in one of the chairs by the fire I had started, and covered her with one of the oriental blankets that was sitting on the couch. I set a cup of hot coffee on the table in case she woke up any time soon, and because I couldn't let myself neglect my daily duties to BB& B I went about a normal day, checking on the girl every so often.

Kathy's POV

When I woke, I had to try my hardest not to scream. Somehow I managed to calm down and look around before I could. I didn't want to move, I was warm under the soft, expensive looking blanket even though my blood felt like it was running cold. How I had gotten to this particular shop was a little bit of a blur, but I did remember. I also remembered that the book store had been closed. Now it was day, although the damn clouds outside made it nearly impossible to tell what time. Also, I was sitting on an imported chair inside the book store. Sighing, I sat up and gaped.

The store was huge. Five stories of books and knickknacks. I could even hear a few of those little water fall things that are supposed to sooth and calm. Then I remembered the name of the place. Barrons Books and Baubles. All that was missing was Barrons. Folding the blanket I placed it on the couch, and gave the mug of coffee an odd look. No one else was in the shop, it was quiet. I took it up, and holding it tight. The mug was still warm but it was clear it had been sitting for a while. I sipped it and cringed. It desperately needed to be heated to taste better, not to mention a killer amount of sugar and cream.

"You're awake." I spun at the voice, almost spilling the coffee. It was a female with dark brunette hair that was cut a bit short and didn't look like it should be her natural color. I eyed the spear strapped to her thigh she hadn't bothered to hide, that or she had forgotten to.

"Oh sorry." She walked to the counter and placed it very reluctantly under the register.

"No you don't have to take it off." I said quickly seeing the pain in her eyes from being away from it. The perks of being an empath was I could easily comfort people. It also meant I knew their weakness to my strengths and visa versa. She gave me an odd looks. "I can tell you don't want to be away from it. Besides it doesn't bother me."

I reached just under the hem of my dress and pulled out a black Gerber folding knife with a lock blade nearly four inches long and almost an inch thick. Granted she was carrying a _spear head_ but to each his or her own. With a relieved, appreciated look she strapped it back onto her thigh.

"Thanks. How are you feeling?" She grabbed a fresh cup of coffee, bringing it to me and taking the one I was holding. It was hot in my hands and I sipped it with love.

"I'm not sick, so I'd say I'm alright." I tugged at my dress a bit, suddenly finding it very embarrassing.

"You passed out in front of the store last night. Your lucky your not sick." She crossed her arms and I half smiled.

"I'm lucky I'm not dead." I whispered, staring down at my cup. "I know people go missing all the time here in Dublin, and that there's been a lot of deaths."

I had read a lot of articles before I had left my home.

"Your not from here." My smile grew at her comment and the same realization hit me. Her accent was far from Irish, it was southern.

"Neither are you. I'm visiting from Colorado."

"Beautiful state. Georgia." She didn't offer to what reason she was here, and I wasn't about to push it.

"How long was I out?" Before she could reply the door opened, causing a little bell to ring. A man stepped in the door, his eyes first scanning her, then ending on me. Those dark brooding eyes traveled down my frame to my black heals, then back up to the short skirt, and up further to pause on my large breasts a moment before he finally looked me in the eyes.

There was a long silence that wasn't quite awkward but still silent. He looked away after a few moments to the woman who had taken me in.

"Now your having sleepovers, Ms. Lane?" His voice was velvet against my skin and I suppressed a shiver. There was so much power in this man, so much wisdom, violence, passion, lust, hate, love. He was much older then he looked and his eyes revealed a dark past that promised turmoil and tears.

"Feck you, Barrons." She spat at him and they stared.

I could almost hear the silent conversation that was passing between them.

_What are you thinking, you fool?_

_She's harmless, she passed out drunk, I had to help her. _

_Everyone is the enemy, Ms. Lane, must I remind you that._

"I'm not an enemy." I stated, covering my mouth when Barrons dark eyes shot to me. I hadn't meant to say the words out loud.

"What did you just say?" He growled, moving into the shop with a fast, deadly pace towards me. I dropped the mug of coffee on the floor, just missing the rugs as I backed away, the killer intent spewing from him. As I had said before, being an empath as I was could be very helpful, but in a situation like this, with a man like this, it was a curse.

"I-I'm not an enemy." He froze and I could see Ms. Lane staring at me in shock.

"What are you?" He growled. The question shook me as I stared into his eyes. He was nearly impossible to read, not because everything was blocked, I could get around blocks, but because there was _so _much to see. "How did you hear what I was thinking?"

My back was pressed against the wall beside the fireplace and he was only an inch from pressing against me. I felt so small, trapped and afraid for my life. He was tall, his dark hair was held perfect in place, tighed back at the nape of his neck. His skin was a golden bronze, the color of someone who had spent many years under a hot sun. His eyes trapped me under their black weight. His voice caressed my skin with the promise of a gentle touch, but the threat of sharp death.

"_How did you hear what I was thinking?"_


	2. Chapter 2

_Mak's POV_

When the girl had said she was not the enemy, I had felt the air crash out of my lungs. Barrons and I had been having one of our silent conversations, and somehow, she had heard it. Just like she had known about my spear and how close I was to it.

I was frozen as he trapped her against the wall. I had been pressed against that hard body before and I knew what it was capable of. That man could love if he wanted, or at least could have a long time ago. Now it always made me feel trapped, and begging for more.

The force of several voices echoing through the room hit me, and I realized he was using Voice. But not on me. On her.

"I'm an empath!" She nearly shouted. I couldn't see her, but I was pretty sure she was trembling.

Barrons stood over her for a few more seconds before he turned on me.

"You brought an empath in here?" He growled.

"What's the big deal?" I asked, shrugging. He gave me that look like he wanted to beat me for being stupid. And right now I felt pretty stupid. _Had_ I let an enemy into my sanctuary?

"I can read every emotion and nearly every thought of a person has as if they were telling them to me as they hit them." She whispered and Barrons glared back at her. I had the feeling she had just stolen the words from Barrons before he could get them out.

"What does she know?" He growled. Standing there in his Armani suit, puffed up with rage, Jericho Barrons scared me.

"She doesn't know anything, Barrons! She just woke up a few minutes ago." I crossed my arms. His beautiful eyes were burning with anger, but at my words he seemed to smooth himself and he turned to the girl. She was playing with her hair, eyes on the ground.

"You should leave Ireland before you get yourself killed, empath." At that, she looked up, a sudden determination filling her brown green eyes. It even seemed to catch Barrons off guard.

"I will not get killed. I'm not some little girl." There was certainty in her voice and I smiled. Not many people had what it took to stand up to Barrons the way she was, or like I did, and I had to admit, anyone who could, could survive in Dublin whether they knew what was out there or not.

"Curiosity kills in my city, Ms. ?" He regarded.

"Vickers. Kathy Vickers."

"Yes, well, Ms. Vickers. I want you out of my shop, and I don't want to see you again, or I assure you death will find that pretty little ass." He looked her up and down, and made his way to the door.

"Petunia." I sputtered, knowing how stupid it must sound. He turned to me with an eyebrow raised.

"Petunia, Ms. Lane?"

"Ass, Barrons, as in you are one." He stormed out of the shop and I slumped back against the nearest wall. He frazzled my nerves more then a grizzly could.

Kathy's POV

I was shaking when he left. Amazing. The books and baubles were so peaceful and welcoming, but the Barrons side to the store was, well _that_. He was a brute, a jerk, an angry ball of energy, dark, handsome, and... I liked him. A guy who was all chocolate and roses bored me, he was predictable. But Barrons. Granted he had threatened me, but he was the kind of mystery I was always looking for. I calmed myself down and it hit me what Ms. Lane had said to him just before he had walked out of the door.

"Petunia?" I asked with a funny look.

"I don't like to swear. Pretty woman don't swear." I stared at her.

"Your blond, aren't you?" I laughed, shaking my head. I swore all the time. It was my thing. It let out steam.

She laughed. It looked like it was the first time she had laughed in a long time. When she finally calmed down enough to talk, her eyes locked on mine, and my heart hurt. There was pain of loss in her eyes. What kind of loss I wasn't sure, but it was one hundred percent there.

"Who did you loose?" She stopped laughing, the pain in her eyes growing, but also a new emotion came threw, a few emotions. First anger, then hatred, then the pure unrivled need for revenge.

"If your feeling well enough to go back to your hotel, you should probably go." She turned her back to me, fingering her spear and took up her place at the register.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a bad memory. I didn't mean to pry either. I don't really have control over the empath thing." I whispered. I looked around and swore to myself. I had left my purse at the bar. That's why I didn't carry a purse.

"Thank you for taking me it. It means a lot to find so much hospitality so far from home." I gave her the sweetest smile I could, straightened myself and stepped out the door. The cool stormy air hit me and I shivered, taking a few steps down the sidewalk. Glancing back at the sign. I would have to stop back before I left and give Ms. Lane something in appreciation for her kindness, and maybe even look around a little more then I had gotten too.

I froze, still in view of the windows. My body was tingling and I desperately wanted to touch myself. I caught myself pulling the skirt of my dress up and paused.

"Well well, aren't you a pretty little thing." I lifted my eyes at the sound of the silky smooth voice that sent shivers down my back. He had the most beautiful face I had ever seen, an aura glowing around him. I started pulling my dress down from the top so my breasts weren't locked in by the fabric so they would stop aching.

"V'lan!" I heard Ms. Lane yell from the door. The word caught my attention and I looked down with a soft yelp, covering my breasts as best I could. My strapless bra was on the ground and my dress pulled down to my waist.

"Hello, Mak. Is this a new toy of yours? Or does she belong to Barrons, too." He stepped around me, shimmering and I whimpered the further from me he got.

I wanted his touch, his hands to roam my pale skin, his lips to close over mine, and his teeth to graze along my neck. I shivered and I was on my knees.

"She could be so fun to play with." I guessed his name was V'lan, had spoken again, it sounded like a badly played pout. I loved his voice, it was so gentle on my skin. I had missed part of the conversation in the midst of removing my dress the rest of the way, but I didn't care. I caught a glimps of Mak lifting her shirt, but she stopped. Why was she stopping? Why didn't she join me on my knees? I could play with her breasts and relieve some of the strain I knew she was feeling, because I was feeling it too. I wanted to wet my fingers in her while I tasted V'lan.

"Mute it!" Mak screamed and I jerked.

"As you wish." Suddenly everything was clear again. V'lan was standing a few feet away, still just as beautiful, but not the same. There was just something different about him now. My breasts were still aching, but it was beginning to dull, and I realized my hand was wet and my body was shaking. I was completely naked, and I had touched myself and cum, furiously. I tried to cover myself as best as I could.

"Kathy, come inside." Mak was at my side picking me up. Her spear was gone, and V'lan was still standing a few feet away, smiling at me.

"Is she like you?" He asked. "A _sidhe-_seer?"


	3. Chapter 3

Mak's POV

I couldn't believe it. We had been so close to her completely missing the Fae world, a world she didn't need to see or know about. I had almost saved her from the horror my world held. V'lan had ruined it. As I passed him I shoved my hand into his chest, willing all of my power to Null him. I needed more satisfaction then that, but with the way he stole my spear every time he appeared, I was going to have to make do.

I left V'lan to stand out in the cold by himself, knowing he couldn't enter due to the wards Barrons had put around the building. It was still a shame those same wards didn't keep out Shades.

"I have some clothes upstairs that should fit you. Are you okay?" I seemed to be asking her that a lot within the last hour. It was a traumatic day for her. First waking up in a strange place after passing out on the sidewalk, then Barrons, well that one explained itself, but now V'lan. He had to work on his timing. A few seconds later and he would have missed her. But then he had said something that told me he had only shown up to see who the girl was.

Unfortunately, my next worry was that I couldn't let her go for a while longer. I had to answer her questions, and keep her quiet. And if I didn't get rid of her by seven, she would have to face Barrons _again_ and even I didn't want to face that again.

We had a Voice lesson planned for seven, and I already knew because of this morning it was going to be a very painful one. I didn't want to know what he might do if he found her here again.

"I'm okay, a l-little confused." She stammered. She was thinking hard on what had just happened. As far as she knew she had just seen a beautiful man and was then on her hands and knees naked begging for him. I really hated Death-by-Sex Fae.  
I wrapped her in the same blanket I had had her in that morning.

"Lets get you up stairs and cleaned up." She nodded automatically and followed me to the stairs. I glanced back out the window to find V'lan smiling at me. With a bow of his head he disappeared. We would talk later.

"What just happened?" She whispered as she shook, trying to make her way up the stairs.

"That was V'lan." I bit out the words, bitter and wishing I didn't have to tell her anything. "He's... a long story."

"A demon?" She asked simply. The way she replied caught me off guard. Maybe I could get out of this easier then I thought.

"Yeah, I guess you could call him that. Look, Barrons will have my hide if your here when he gets back here at seven and your here, but I don't think it's a good idea for you to go back out there right now. Your safe in here. Just stay in my room once you get cleaned up and you should be okay. You can stay on one of the other open rooms after Barrons leaves." We finally reached the floor I was on and I took her to the bathroom.

"Thank you. Ms. Lane." I laughed. I couldn't help it.

"Call me Mak. Barrons calls me Ms. Lane." She stepped into the bathroom after handing me the blanket and was leaning against the door. It didn't seem to bother her that she was standing vulnerable before me with nothing covering her. She was more open about her body then I was.

"That drives you nuts doesn't it?" I stared at her a moment then I nodded. She really could read people like a book. "Thank you for everything."

"No problem. I know what its like to be in Dublin without help." She closed the door and I went to my room, digging through my clothes for something she could wear.

Kathy's POV

I leaned against the door, sinking down to the floor and sitting taking deep breaths. What had just happened? Mak clearly knew a lot more then she wanted to tell me, but I wasn't going to pry. The demon bit had just given her some ease. There was too much tension around both V'lan and Barrons when it came to her mind. Where was I?

Lets see. I was naked, in a bathroom, in Barrons Books and Baubles, somewhere in the middle of Dublin thousands of miles from my home in Colorado. I had just had something controlling my sexual appetite to a point I had stripped in the middle of the street. I thanked whatever God might be listening that no one had really been out today. After a few long breaths, I stood, checked to make sure there were towels I could use, set them on the counter, then turned to the shower. After staring at it a moment, I turned the handle and sighed. It would be hot, and long. I had a lot of things I wanted to wash, although most of it I couldn't physically scrub, the hot water would help me mentally cleanse myself. There was shampoo and conditioner in the shower. Stepping in, I pulled the curtain closed and shivered as the hot water crashed into my legs a little to warm for as cold as I was. Turning the hot water down I shifted the shower head.

The water poured down my body, clinging to my supple breasts, flowing down my taught, flat stomach with the slightest hints of a six pack, and caressed between my legs, rinsing away the evidence of V'lans effect on me. Turning, I shivered as the water warmed my back. As the water hit my brown hair, it puffed a little, then flattened and wrapped around my neck. I lifted my arms and stretched, the water rolling over my ass and splashing at my feet. I ran my hands along my body as I lowered them, and again caught myself touching my clit. I was still tingling, and the hot water was making me more so.

There was a knock on the door.

"Kathy, its Mak." I smiled.

"Come in." The door opened. The shower curtain was clear, but I didn't mind it. She had already seen me, there was no point in trying to hide it now.

"I'm putting some clothes on the counter. They should fit you, you look about the same size as me. When your done, come find me downstairs." I watched her through the curtain as she set the clothes on the counter and left. I peaked out and sighed with relief, none of the clothes I could see were pink, but everything looked high quality.

I finished my shower after about half an hour and patted off my body with a fluffy towel, which I folded after drying my hair as best I could and set on the counter. I picked up something red and fluffy. It was so soft in my hands. I gripped what I guessed was the shoulders of the top and let it fall open. It was a nit sweater with a pocket on the front, and a hood. She had even thrown in a clean pair of underwear. Those were pink, and for as much as I hated pink, I figured no one would see them any time soon, so I pulled them on along with a pair of designer deep blue jeans. Everything fit perfect. We really were the same size. Maybe I would just go shopping with her before I left, to repay her for everything she was doing for me.

I opened the bathroom door just in time to hear the bell on the main door downstairs chime. There was a pause before it slammed shut and I edged to the banister that looked down into the bookstore below.

Barrons was early.

I made my way silently to the open door just down the hall, careful to stay back from the banister and against the wall. Somehow I managed to get to Mak's room, close the door and lay down on her bed without a single sound. I heard yelling downstares. Then there was that strange voice again. The one that bounced off all the walls and hit the body and mind with a force that made me want to fall to my knees and scream everything in my mind to the heavens. But this time it wasn't effecting me. I shuddered and felt bad for Mak all of a sudden. I didn't know what the deal was with that voice, but it bothered me.

I closed my eyes and tried to ignore it. I wasn't about ready to go down there and have both me _and_ Mak hit with that strange thing and have something terrible happen. And I wasn't about to get her in trouble because of me. Everything would be just fine if I kept my little 125 pound butt in the bed where I was three floors above the chaos that was going on below.

The door busted in so hard I jumped a foot off the bed, into the wall and slinked myself back into the corner as best I could. I stared at the dark, brooding man that filled the doorway, his black eyes boring into me.

"Get out." He growled with a deep, primal voice. I couldn't move. "Are you deaf girl?"

"I have a name." I snapped. And he knew it. "I don't see why your getting so snappy, Mak was only trying to help me."

"She had no business helping you."

"Why? Are you her father? Do you tell her what she can and can't do? Looks to me she's old enough to make her own decisions." He snarled and was on top of me before I had had the chance to even think about moving.

"And what if I am her father?" He snarled and I snarled back. I knew I was oozing way more confidence then I should have. He was dangerous, I could feel it and see it. I bit out a laugh.

"There's no way. Not with the way you look at her." He pulled back and snarled even more.

"Barrons she's already delt with you once today, and then she was hit by V'lan! Leave her alone!" I heard Mak scream from downstairs, but her last words had faultered a bit.

Barrons backed away, his already dark eyes growing darker.

"Come downstairs." He turned and walked out the door. I stayed where I was, huddled in the corner on Maks bed. "That wasn't a request, Ms. Vickers."

I jumped up from the bed before I could even think about it. He hadn't used that strange voice, but there was something about Barrons, and I didn't think it was a good idea to piss him off. I hurried out of the room and followed at least ten feet back, down the three flights of stairs and gasped when I saw Mak. She was on her knees, blood dripping from her left palm a knife sitting on the table beside her, which was clearly the reason for the blood. She looked as though she wanted to scream and as Barrons looked down on her, they had another one of those silent conversations I shouldn't be able to hear but could.

_You are a major jackass, Barrons. _

_It is simply a game of push and pull. You pushed, Ms. Lane, there for I pulled._

I could tell she wanted to say more, but both of us knew it was futile. Barrons had won that round. He spun on me and I stared into those dark eyes. I could see so much in them and now I was capable of sorting things out a little better. I decided to use that to my advantage.

"Not a lot of people know you do they, Mr. Barrons." It seemed strange for some reason to add the 'Mr.' before his last name. I decided quickly to omit it from then on.

"No one needs to know me. Especially not some little girl who is going to get herself killed if she keeps acting so much." That seemed like quite a long sentence for him. Interesting.

"You're a lot older then you look. _A lot_ older. You've felt a great amount of pain in a short time." A muscle twitched beneath his eye. "You lost someone. More then one person. You're not human either. What are you? You have magic, that's obvious."

"Enough!" He growled. I was getting a reaction out of him and that's what I wanted.

"You've seen more then your share of things in this world. No not just this world, but a lot of worlds. You've known joy, though that seems impossible looking at you now, you've known pain, the clawing need for revenge, hate, and love." He had been growing closer to a snarl with each word but the reaction he had to the word love had me wondering. I looked to Mak, then Barrons, then smiled. "And the love has been more recent then you will ever care to admit, at least while your pride is in the way. But that's not all that stands in the way is it? There's some goal your trying to achieve and that's the only reason Mak is here. You both have something to accomplish. Maybe when it's over, you will face yourself, man up and tell her the truth about how you feel."

That was it he snapped.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Maks POV

I had never seen Jericho Barrons as savage as he was at that moment. It scared me. He was growling, snarling, looked as though he would tear her apart, and then he froze. All expresion was lost, but his eyes were dark. Darker then I had ever seen them. He lunged for her with frightening speed. He pinned her to the floor, and I shuddered. I knew what it felt like to be pinned benieth that body. I shuddered again and pushed the thought down into my pad locked box. I still had to deal with that, but it would have to wait.

I wanted to help Kathy, but Barrons had voiced me into kneeling and hadn't let go yet. I dug within myself, desperatly trying to find that place Barrons had said I had to find to resist Voice. My _sidhe_-seer place burned too bright to find anything. Even it wanted up to help her, the get Barrons off her and help her run.

Then it hit me. God I was slow sometimes. She knew something about Barrons, and she didn't even _know_ him. She was reading him like an Anne Rice book laid out with large print. Could she possibly have the same ability as Christian and be able to tell if he was lying? Or did her power not delve into that department.

"Stay out of my head." he growled.

"I'm not in your head, Barrons. Everything I said was plastered in your eyes, like reading an open book." She whispered in a low seductive voice. How on earth was she staying so calm pinned benith that hard body. That was a slippery thought, I grabbed it again and shoved it back in the box, pulling the chains tight so it wouldn't get out again.

"You will not do that again." His voice had gotten soft as well. Shit. He was dead serious.

"Make me." I almost hadn't heard the words. But Barrons certainly did.

"_You will never read me like that again._" Voice. I felt the resonating magic bounce around the room and caress me down to the bone. It was layered thicker then any he had used on me. I watched her and could see her grit her teeth, but then the slightest of smiles slipped before she caught it again and went motionless. Had she found some loop in what he had said? He rose off of her, composing himself again, staring at her as she began to rise.

"_Kneel._" Voice hit her and her knees hit the ground half way through rising.

"Mind at least explaining what you're doing to me?" She asked sweetly. She had the same way of saying things really sweet but dripping with venom I do. I smiled, always good to be around one of your own.

"I suppose I dont have a choice now that Ms. Lane has dragged you into this. If she had just let V'lan take you when you ran into him, I wouldn't have to deal with this." His dark eyes were on me and I stared back.

_Jackass._

_You did this, Ms. Lane. Its going to be a fun lesson._

"Voice, Ms. Vickers, is a power to control the will of other people. The person commanded is forced to do what they are told, but only to the letter of what has been commanded." The smirk returned to her lips and I wondered what it was she was figuring out that I hadn't. I wanted so badly to say something but Barrons had managed to Voice me when he reached to foot of the stairs into silence before Kathy had made it down. This was going to be a long painful night.

Kathys POV

I hadn't managed to do what I had wanted by reading him. Usually diving down into the soul the way I had broke people, made them open up, or made them face themselves. This man was something completely different. I considered the command he had _Voiced_ me with. 'You will never read me like that again.' I closed my eyes and relaxed my body. The way he had worded the fraise, 'like that' rather then just leaving it at read me, could be twisted so that I could still read him, but I couldn't use it against him if I was right. When I opened my eyes, I was right. I could still see down into his soul.

"I can tell you're doing this for a reason, if I'm going to be pulled into this, I think I have a right to know whats going on." He ignored me. I just gritted my teeth and watched. The only way I was going to learn anything was from Mak and by watching.

"_You may speak, Ms. Lane._"

"Your an ass Jericho Barrons." She spat. I could tell the words had been eating at her tongue waiting to be released.

"Whats the deal, Barrons? Why are you doing this." He looked to me with a wicked grin.

"_Stand, Ms. Vickers._"

With a growl deep in my chest for the simple reason I could do nothing but listen, I relaxed my body so it would tremble as I stood. The more I fought the commands, the more my body locked itself and my movements became almost robotic.

"The world out there Ms. Vickers," He started, moving towards me, his face hard again as he walked around me, eyes traveling up and down my body as they had the first time he had entered the bookstore. "Isn't as kind as you may think. There are things out their that go beyond the _human _imagination. You must watch your back, or be killed."

The way he said the word human confirmed my suspicions that he wasn't one himself.

"And how do I watch my back against an enemy I can't see?" Reasonable question. He stopped before me, his hands behind his back and stared into my eyes with those black pits of darkness and time long gone.

"You don't." He whispered, his lips hardly moving. I stared, confused, and he looked satisfied by this fact. He turned to Mak.

"Maybe I should do what I hesitated to do with you, Ms. Lane. I have no use for her, maybe I should give her to your little prince. I'm sure she would enjoy that." He gave me a sideways glance, and I returned the expresion I saw most on his face. Nothing. I made no effort to show that I was interested, or to tell him to shove it, I could take care of myself. But I knew better, if he was telling the truth in even the slightest, I couldn't handle myself out in those streets and last night I had been lucky to walk away with my life. Mak looked at me, her eyes wide with worry at his words.

"Can you fight?" She asked. Wonder flashed across my face, i could feel it, then it was gone.

"I suppose, if I had to I could." With a whisper Jericho Barrons was standing before me, his body twisted, right arm pulled back, hand fisted, swinging towards me. I let the top half of my body fall back, curling, my hands hitting the ground first and pushed with my feet, adjusting so that as Barrons missed me by a breath, my feet grazed his chest. He pulled back before I could connect a foot with his chin. I landed on my feet, spinning and crouching with my back to the couch.

"That's dodging, Ms. Vickers. Now fight." I lunged, pulling my own fight arm back to punch as Barrons had. My left foot touched the ground and I swung only find myself being lifted. His left hand was on my stomach, pushing me up. I grabbed his hand and used the force with which he was pushing me up to force myself up.

Something Barrons didn't know. I had spent years practicing the same kind of stunts gymnists did on balance beams and bars. My body was straight up in the air my hands holding his wrist. He stared at me with just enough hesitation, for me to bring my feet down onto his shoulders. I slipped off his shoulders as he reached up to grab my feet, spinning so I faced his back and pulled my knife out, flicking it open as he began to turn and touching the tip to his spine.

"I know you could have won that, you have a speed thats inhuman, but if you were human, I won." I whispered. He smiled. Not a nasty grimace he had given me before, but an actual smile of apriciation. Then it was gone.

"She can fight with me." I looked to Mak, who was grinning her face off. "I can tell her who to kill, and she can fight with me. Then you wont have to worry about your precious OOP detector being ganged up on."

Kill? She wanted me to kill? If I was bragging I would have said I could do it. But they were being serious. Barrons looked at me.

"She wont be able to kill anything if she thinks its human, and she wont believe its not human till she sees it with her own eyes. You will stay in one of the rooms upstairs till I think of what to do with you." He had read me. I glared at him.

"You know what you could do to give her that ability Barrons." He paused. He had been in the middle of walking out.

"That's obserd, Ms. Lane. You know what that does to a person."

"Just once, and I wont let her do it again." I looked between the two, lost.

"Fine. Do what you wish, but it will be on your hands if anything happens to her. _Your free." _He walked out.

There was only silence in the book store for a long time. It was raining outside, as usual, and I didn't have any idea what time it was.

"What is he?" I asked softly.

"I'd love to know myself." She stood with a sigh. "What do you say we go out for a drink?"

I looked to her and smiled, nodding.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

SPOILER ALERT! - DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVE NOT READ DREAMFEVER AND DON'T WANT TO SPOIL IT!

Barrons POV

As if Mak wasn't enough. Now I have two woman that are nearly the same. Actually Kathy seemed more stubborn and likely to handle herself then Mak.

I shook my head. Ridiculous, those thoughts got a person killed in my city. I swung my leg over the bike after killing the engine. I dropped down into the alcove holding the door to Chesters and stepped in, ignoring the woman standing at the door who stared at me.

Music pounded through the bar, and bodies were pressed together on the dance floor. Glancing up I could see the glass floor to Ryodans room above the dance floor. From there he watched everything. That's where I was headed.

He met me at the door.

"Jericho." He greeted, holding out a hand. I clasped it, shaking once then pulling back, following him into the glass room. The only light emanated from the surveillance monitors mounted on the far wall.

"Ryodan."

"Do you think it's wise to go to Scotland with the MacKelters on the biggest night of the year?" He seated himself in the chair by one of the monitors.

"It's the last chance we have without the book. And it doesn't look like I'm going to have that in my hands before Samhain." I kept my voice low, watching the dancing below. One of the 'Rhino-boys' as Mak called them passed below and I shook my head.

"Little Mak not turning out to be such a good tracker." I said nothing. He sighed. "She's going to need you on that night, you know it."

"She has the cell phone." He sighed again. She also now had Kathy, though he wasn't too sure how much good that would do.

Kathy's POV

I leaned back, downing another shot of Whiskey, and set my glass down hard. I wasn't quite drunk, but I was buzzed pretty heavily. Mak and I had been drinking for an couple hours. She would point someone out every now and then, and describe to me what they really looked like. Barrons had been right, I didn't believe what she was telling me. Every person she pointed out was so beautiful, but then when I really thought about it, they were a bit too beautiful, and when i saw their eyes I could tell they were far from human. Even with that I still needed to see it to know it was true. The sight I had had never once lead me wrong before, but I couldn't believe the people I was seeing were really as hideous and disgusting as Mak was describing. She nudged me and I leaned back, looking down at the table, scanning the room without actually looking.

"The guy that just walked in." She whispered to me. "Wearing a leather jacket and blue jeans, he's a Rhino-boy. They have tusks and are big. Basically they look like a small rhino standing on two legs."

So far she had recalled the Gray Man she and Barrons had tracked and killed, and described Rhino-boys, and maybe half a dozen more different Fae to me. She had also explained the history of the Seelie and Unseelie to me that she knew. I now knew why she carried the spear rather then a regular knife. A Seelie Hollow. From what she had said, a Seelie Hollow was the only way to kill an Unseelie. Then there was the matter that while the Seelie were considered Light, and Unseelie dark, they were both bad news, just that the Unseelie were worse.

"So wait, Barrons expects me to help you kill these things when _you_ have the only weapon to kill them?" I asked, crossing my arms and looking to her. We kept our voices low, not wanting to betray ourselves to the Unseelie.

"Well, it's not the only one. Rowena has the sword."

"Rowena?" Mak rolled her eyes as if the thought that crossed her mind was absurd.

"Lets go back to the book store." She tossed down a few notes, and we left the bar. I noted the way she walked. She was forcing herself to act like everyone else while her eyes were always moving over the crowds. She was just waiting for someone to attack her.

I just made sure not to run into anyone. Since i couldn't see the things that were walking the streets, I couldn't very well help keep an eye out, but I did make sure to look for anything suspicious. A thought occurred to me.

"Who is V'lan?" I whispered. She stumbled a bit. I think I had caught her off guard, she had been paying so much attention to everything else. Or maybe she forgot I was even walking beside her.

She was silent for a long time till we turned down the street to the bookstore.

"He was the one you saw this morning while you were leaving." I already knew that, but I didn't say anything, she was trying to start at the best spot. "He is a Seelie Prince. As far as he tells me he is working for his Queen, Aoibheal to keep the walls between our world and the Fae world from coming down. They need the book to do that. They need the Song of Making."

"Song of Making?" I whispered and sighed. It was all a lot to take in for one day. "Wait, you never told me why your here in the first place. I mean its obvious you haven't been here long, but your a _sidhe_-seer. Did you come here to keep the walls from coming down?"

She launched into the story of her sister, the Lord Master, how she met Barrons, and the terrible run-ins with the Book, but she had held off telling me anything about the Book until we were locked back in the bookstore.

Maks POV

I finished telling Mak the short_er_ version of my life before Dublin, and everything leading up to now. I even dove into explaining Rowena the Dragon Lady and the other _sidhe_-seers

By the time I was done, it was nearly eleven. It was dark, and still raining. Barrons hadn't bothered to show for the night, and I wondered what had kept him.

"Oh, if anything happens to me while were together, grab this." I pulled out the cell phone Barrons had given me. I stepped next to Kathy and opened the contacts.

"JB, IYCGM, IFY?" She stared at them, clearly confused. I highlighted each number as I explained them.

"Jaricho Barrons, this is a direct line to Barrons. IYCGM, If you can't get me, this number calls Ryodan, I don't know who Ryodan is but he's helped before so he can't be all bad. IFY, If your dying. If your ever with me and something happens that I can't make a call, call the corresponding number. I have no idea what IYD does or where it calls too, all I've been told if do not under any circumstance call it unless I really am dying." I pocketed the phone.

"I don't know if I can take in much more information." She whispered, shaking her head.

"That's about how I felt when Barrons first explained all of this to me." I stepped behind the register, pulling out a couple hidden packets of cocoa. I didn't usually bother with them, but tonight I had company that knew about the world I lived in, and would be living it with me. There was always Dani, but she lived at the Abby where she was safe. That's where she belonged so she could keep an eye on the sword. I made two cups of cocoa using the microwave behind the counter.

"Let's go pick out a room for you and get some rest. I open the store at 8 every morning, it helps so I expect you to be up and down here. If you live here you work here." She nodded, seeming to understand as I handed her a mug and we started for the stairs.

"Where does Barrons stay?" She asked and I smirked. She seemed to have all the same questions I did.

"Don't know, one of the great mysteries surrounding Jericho Barrons." I shrug and we made our way up the stairs back to my room. "You know my room, you can pick any of the other rooms. Learn to sleep with the lights on. Shades are another Unseelie, only they can't into light. And don't ever, for ever reason, go past the bookstore, especially at night. Ever notice how everything is dead down the street?"

"Yeah I did." She whispered.

"You wont find that area anywhere on a map. It's a dark zone. Shades eat everything the lives. And the areas they do exist, seem to disappear. Tomorrow we'll experiment and maybe we can get you to see them for a little while." She nodded again, and yawned. "Find a room and get some rest, like I said, be up and downstairs at 8."

"Goodnight." She waved a hand and went straight next door.

"Goodnight." She would have nightmares if she was anything like I was.


End file.
